End support for traveling bags



W. JAMES.

END SUPPORT FOR TRAVELING BAGS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 31, W22- PatentedSept. 5, 192g.

Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

t} it it iii ii 5i WILLIAM JAMES, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

END SUPIPOBT FOR TRAVELING BAGS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM JAMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new, and useful Improvements in End Supports for Traveling Bags, of which the follow ing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My present invention relates to bag supports, and more particularly to the supports for the bag ends.

As heretofore constructed, bags such as the student bag-and many traveling bags have had no means of support in their ends, other than the material of which the bag has been composed of. The result has been that after the bag has been subjected to some use, the material which the ends are composed of becomes very pliable and a sagging or caving in of the corners is the result.

In time the constant creasing of the ma-. terlal causes cracks, and while the sides may be perfectly good the ends may be worn out and present an unsightly appearance.

In my present invention, I have obviated the above mentioned dlfiiculties, and have developed a strong endsupport of minimum size and displacement that is simple and strong in construction and extremely eflicient in operation.

, The principal object of my invention therefore, is an improved end support for bags.

Another object'is a means for bracing the corners of a bag. I

Still another object, is an improved means for adjusting an'end support for bags to fit the contour. of the inside'of a bag where positively the contour may vary slightly without showing any noticible difference in the dimensions of the bag.

Other objects and 'novel features of the construction of the support will be apparent as the description of the invention progresses.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bag with one end partially cut away to show the support in place on the inside;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofthe support removed from the bag;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of one end of a support showing how it pivots on the hinges, and adjusts itself to a somewhat shorter and wider bag.

Fig. 4 is a similar plan view of one end of a support in a normal position, and further illustrates the action of the hinges, and the torsional properties of the entire structure. I

Referring to the drawings, B designates a bag of more or less flexible qualities. C indicates the corners of said bag B where wrinkling or caving in usually occurs as soon as the stiffness of the material has been overcome by the constant use of same. At 10 and 10 I have formed a somewhat rectangular base of the skeleton type, the ends of which I have rounded slightly at approximately. in a center line between members .10 and 10', I have sharply bent the frame to a perpendicular position placing the two members 13 and 13 side by side. Hinge members 14 consisting of a shortstrap are securedto members13 and 13 by bending the two ends of same around the outer sides of members 13 and 13, thereby forming a simple hinge, the position of which is maintainedby friction. At 15 and 15 I have againbent the members 16 and 16'" ninety degrees in anopposite direction toeach other, and parallel to members l1 and 11 thusforming the top of support. At 17 and 17', I have again bent the members 16 and 16 in a downward di rection forming thetaper sides 18 and 18', and securing the end of same to members 10 and'10 by means of the turned over ends 19 and 19,.and as members 16 and 16"are muoh shorter in lengththan members l1 and 11, the resulting shape of outline formed by18 and 18' is somewhat of a wedge and conforms to the shape of the bag in which itis tobe placed. Members 18 and 18 also serve to support members 13'and 13, and maintain an upright position as well as a protection and sup port for the corners C of the bag B.

The operation of my invention is as foL lows, assuming the apparatus to be assembledas above described. A bag of the above described class is first opened, the support is then inserted in the manner indicated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. When the bag is of exactly the right dimensions to perfectly fit the support no adjustment is necessary, and the. sup aort will assume the position indicated at ig. 4, if

the bag should be slightly shorter and wider, as sometimes is the case, an adjustment may be obtained by compressing the two ends together, and the effect of'this action as illustrated at Fig. By compres sing the end or members 11 and 1' their curvature, is reduced to a more nearly straight line and consequently the members 10 and 10 are expanded further apart and in so doing the members 16 and 16 are pivoted in hinge members 1% and thereby straightened out to more or-less of a straight line, the amount of straightening is wholly limited to the amount of compression applied at the ends. Members 18 and 18' having their lower ends 19 and 19 in an advanced position in respect to the perpendicular members 13 and 13' thereby form a bracing element to support the entire end of the bag B, and also constitutes a support for each of its four corners C thereby eliminating any and all tendency toward creasing or caving in of the corners of the bag.

It will be apparent from the above d scription, that I have designed a bag end support that is compact, simple and eiiicient in construction and operation, and whileI have necessarily shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention somewhat in detail, it is to be understood that I may vary the size, shape, and general arrangement of the parts comprising my invention within wide limits without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, is:

1. In combination with a bag comprisinga bottom, sides and ends normally disposed in a perpendicular position; a bag support comprising a base, perpendicular supports formed on either end thereof, a horizontal top disposed at approximately ninety degrees to the long dimension of said base, and formed from said perpendicular supports a strut. formed from said top extending down at an angle to connect with sides of said base, hinges binding said perpendicular supports together.

2. In combination with a bag comprising a bottom, sides and ends normally disposed in a perpendicular position; a ba support comprising two corresponding halves of a rectangular base of the skeleton type, periendicular supports formed 011 either end thereof, a horizontal top disposed at approximately ninety degrees to the long dimension of said base and formed from said. perpendicular supports, a strut formed from said top extending down at an angle to corn nect with sides of said base, hinges binding said perpendicular supports together.

3. In combination with a bag comprising a bottom, sides and ends normally disposed in a perpendicular position; a bag support comprising two corresponding halves of a rectangular base of the skeleton type, perpendicular supports formed on either end of said skeleton base halves by sharply bending upwardly-to a perpendicular positioma horizontal top disposed at ninety degrees to perpendicular supports and in the same plane as said base, and formed from said perpendicular supports, a strut formed "from said top extending down at an angle to connect with sides of said base, hinges binding said perpendicular supports together.

4. In combination with a bag comprising a bottom, sides and ends normally disposed in a ver endicular aosition' a ba end su port comprising two corresponding halves of a rectangular base of the skeleton type, perpendicular supports formed on either end of skeleton base halves by sharply bending upwardly to a perpendicular position, a horizontal top disposed at ninety degrees to perpendicular supports and in the same plane as said base, and formed from said perpendicular supports, struts formed by ieans of a continuation of the to member in a downward and inwardly direction and connecting said skeleton base by means of a loop on the end tliereofifriction retaining hinges at top and bottom of said perpendicular supports firmly binding same together.

5. in a bag end support, a means hinging two halves of a skeleton frame support such that the base may be lengthened and shortened by compression thereon with the consequent pivoting of the half ends on each other.

. In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of January, 1922.

WILLIAM JAMES. 

